Use online classes to help your career

Sunday, November 13, 2011

Enrollments in online education have grown exponentially over the past decade. In fact, during the fall 2009 semester, approximately 5.6 million students in the U.S. were enrolled in at least one online course, an increase of nearly 1 million students over the previous year, according to the 2010 Sloan Survey of Online Learning. The survey also finds that almost 30 percent of students take at least one college or university course online.

However, the journey back to the classroom can be daunting, particularly for adults trying to balance work and family.

To ease the back-to-school transition, Morris and Walters offer the following tips for nontraditional students.

Find the right program for you

For many students, the most important factor is often the enhanced job security that a college degree offers. Morris explains that students interested in job security should look for a degree in career fields with high job growth. Everest University Online, for example, offers online degree programs in career-oriented fields such as accounting, paralegal, criminal justice, homeland security and information technology.

manage your time

If you¹re balancing a full-time job with a relationship or children, adding school, even an online school, to your already busy schedule will require careful time management. In fact, the convenience of studying online at home can become a liability, if you cannot create an environment that is conducive to getting work done.

Create a support network

Fellow classmates can create wonderful support networks for each other. This is also true for online students. One technique for online students is to create an online discussion board or group email list.

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